Paul Rosenthal Named Chair of Kelley Drye & Warren LLP
Kelley Drye & Warren LLP announced that Paul Rosenthal has been elected chair of the firm, succeeding Jim Carr upon the expiration of his eight-year term on December 31, 2022. Paul will work closely with the executive committee and managing partner Dana Rosenfeld to guide Kelley Drye’s continued pursuit of excellence in client service and strengthen the business of the firm.
“It has truly been an honor and a privilege to be a steward of Kelley Drye for the last eight years, and I am grateful that the firm and our clients will benefit from Paul’s wisdom and experience when he assumes the role of chair,” said Jim Carr. “He is not only a firm leader, but he has also been a mentor and inspiration to many Kelley Drye attorneys.”
Paul has a great depth of experience with law firm management, having served in leadership positions for more than three decades. He has embraced change in the business of law and helped the firm meet evolving client needs. After working for a U.S. Senate Committee, Paul joined the Washington, D.C. firm Collier Shannon Scott, in 1981, served as chair of that firm for five years, and was instrumental in negotiating its successful merger with Kelley Drye in 2006. He has held several leadership roles at Kelley Drye, including D.C. office managing partner and government relations and public policy practice group leader, and he has served on the firm’s executive committee since the merger.
“Jim has helped the firm foster an entrepreneurial mindset, a devotion to client service, a culture of collaboration among teams, and a commitment to diversity and inclusion as core firm values,” said Paul Rosenthal. “My goal is to reinforce and expand these initiatives, drawing from our dynamic partnership to keep growing and improving strategically.”
In his legal practice, Paul is well-respected for his knowledge of international trade and government relations. He serves as both a strategic advisor and hands-on advocate for his clients’ interests, which often involve a complex mix of legal, economic, and political challenges. Paul holds prominent rankings in Chambers International, Washingtonian Magazine, The Legal 500 U.S., The Best Lawyers in America©, the Legal Times, International Who’s Who in Trade & Customs Lawyers, Law & Politics Super Lawyers, and Lawdragon 500’s Leading Lawyers in America. He was selected for inclusion among the elite Band 1 lawyers listed in Chambers for International Trade and, according to a market source, is “probably the best of the petitioner lawyers” he knows.
“Paul inherits a firm that, thanks to Jim’s leadership over the last eight years, has a culture of collegiality, inclusion, and respect, and has never been stronger or healthier financially,” said Dana Rosenfeld. “Paul’s dedication to clients and deep experience in all aspects of firm life will ensure a seamless transition to a firm-minded leader with the vision to carry us forward and the determination to build on the success we enjoyed during Jim’s tenure, I look forward to working with Paul and the rest of the executive committee to chart our course for the future.”
Jim will remain a member of Kelley Drye’s executive committee and will continue serving clients as a partner in the bankruptcy group, focusing on creditor representations in corporate bankruptcy cases.